In a conventional direct memory access (DMA) apparatus, only a limited number of channels are available. In order to provide multiple m-channels, the DMA apparatus must be equipped with complicated circuitry. Moreover, even multiple channel DMA devices can only implement transfers from a single I/O device or memory to multiple I/O devices/memories, or, from multiple I/O devices/memories to a single I/O device or memory such as in a Motorola MC68450. Conventional DMA structures cannot perform transfers from multiple sources to multiple destinations; this is an undesirable limitation.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for a multiple channel direct memory access that does not have the shortcomings of the prior art devices.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for multiple channel direct memory access by utilizing a virtual array technique.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for a multiple channel direct memory access by utilizing a virtual array technique of simple circuitry to achieve the functions of a channel DMA.